A slew of recent articles and statistics are telling a story that LGBTQ people already know: America is dangerous for the LGBTQ population.

Hate is on the rise

Recently, Think Progress reported that 2017 was the deadliest year for the transgender community in a decade. Then, GLADD revealed that its Accelerating Acceptance Report discovered that “2017 levels of social discomfort with LGBTQ people rose across the board,” Autostraddle reports. “More non-LGBTQ respondents than last year said they were either ‘somewhat’ or ‘very’ uncomfortable in every imagined hypothetical scenario, ranging from having an LGBTQ doctor to their child learning about LGBTQ history in school to finding out that their own family member is a member of the LGBTQ community.”

The same report also found that “straight” respondents are reporting a “rising discomfort” with LGBTQ people.

Also, the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs discovered that hate-based killings of LGBTQ people grew in 2017, too. Apparently, 2017 was the “’deadliest year for the community since the organization started releasing reports in 1996,” reports Teen Vogue.

Working through the stats

Marti Gould Cummings, a drag performer, says that although trans death rates and hate are hard to digest, people must educate themselves on these facts to truly understand how dangerous the world is for transpeople. Cummings adds that it isn’t helpful that president Trump encourages violence and that vice president Pence supports conversion therapy.

Jules Larson, activist, reminds us that the above news isn’t news for transpeople. “We’ve seen it all,” says Larson.

“To understand our humanity is to understand what we see, hear and feel every day,” adds Larson. “Every single transperson has gone out of their home—if they aren’t homeless—fearing for their life being ended randomly. That, in itself, is a human rights issue, beyond the rampant violence this demographic faces.”

Larson adds that stats and awareness are helpful, but aren’t enough in themselves to create change. People and human connection, however, can help. “When we normalize trans people, we de-normalize the violence,” adds Larson.

Allies must become real allies

Larson says that straight allies can truly help decrease the above numbers through listening to trans stories and silence. “Scream at the top of your lungs that trans women are women, non-binary genders are valid, and trans men are men,” says Larson. “Allies and their friends have to feel the real effects of their words, because words make foreign and domestic policy. Tell them that we are scared but are an empowered, loving, ambitious and survival oriented people, and when we finally get the mic or a seat at the table, we will speak for ourselves.”

And Cummings adds that if straight allies truly want to help, they must be louder than ever. “Everyone has a friend or family member that is part of the LGBTQ community… Think of them. Use your voice. Educate. [And] speak out when you see someone being harassed,” he says.

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Our suspicions were real: Many men truly don’t understand what constitutes as consent.

Sexual interest isn’t consent

A study from Binghamton University and Rush University found that a majority of men confuse sexual interest with consent. The faculty-led study surveyed 145 straight male students at a large, Southeastern university. The researchers had the male students examine various hypothetical sexual situations.

“In response, most of the men confused sexual interest from a female partner with consent,” reports Teen Vogue. “The researchers found [that,] basically, if their partner didn’t say no, the men in the study seemed to think that meant yes.”

“We found that the way in which the woman communicated her sexual intentions, that is verbal refusal versus passive responding, had the largest effect of men’s perceptions,” adds Richard Mattson, associate professor of psychology at Binghamton University.

Confusion and consent

The public tends to think sex is unidimensional—”that there is just one attitude that is either for or against a sex act,” explains Nicole Prause, Ph.D. and founder of Liberos LLC.

“Science is quite clear that sex is at least two-dimensional and continuous,” says Prause.

Think of the two dimensions as facilitating and inhibitory. If both dimensions are high, a person may think: “I want to have sex with this gorgeous person, but I’m scared they are a player”. Or inhibitory might be high and facilitating average.

The tricky reality of consent

So, how can we better educate people about consent? Increase empathy… and education.

“Many adults still do not realize that women are [typically] at a greater risk for getting sexual infections even when condoms are used,” says Prause.

Prause adds that women also are typically at a greater risks of assault, pregnancy, and social risk. These concerns typically “live” in the inhibitory dimension. She adds that “mostly” men are “likely only considering the facilitating dimension”, getting a woman aroused enough to say yes, says Prause.

So, learning about these dimensions and understanding each dimension’s complications can breed safer sexual relationships.

Kryss Shane, owner of This Is Kryss, adds that teaching consent begins with teaching boundaries and educating people about their bodies. “Next, conversations [should concern] how to let someone know you are interested and how to hear someone who [says] they are not interested.”

From there, discussions should concern helping people when they are in trouble. Also: education concerning group-think and what to do when that “think” becomes dangerous.

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Unfortunately, fake news was the “news” of 2017.

Fake news was everywhere. It was on Facebook feeds and shared via emailed links. It also was the topic of conversation in newspapers and on nightly newscasts.

Kids and fake news

Fake news has become so prevalent in today’s society that some government officials think students need help determining what internet news is real. This help would come in the form of nationwide legislation.

“The AP reports that legislation that would encourage schools to teach students how to identify false information has already been passed in Washington, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Mexico,” reports Teen Vogue. “States including Arizona, New York, and Hawaii are also said to be considering possible bills.”

And in 2018, lawmakers in other states will work on similar bills.

Do we need fake news classes?

The short answer is yes. But like most things, the longer answer is much more complicated than simply “yes”.

It’s about strengthening media literacy

Andrew Selepak, professor in the department of telecommunication at the University of Florida and director of the graduate program in social media, says that any course that teaches media literacy and critical thinking would be valuable for K-12 students, college students, and most adults. “Fake news has the devastating potential to make [people] less equipped to participate in a democratic society,” he says.

Selepak adds that most people have trouble identifying fake news for two reasons. “One: We are too lazy to check and make sure the information and story is correct either by doing our own research or by looking at fact-checking websites like Snopes. Two: often we want to believe a fake news story because it supports our worldview and what we want to believe is true.”

It’s about having a good relationship with the media

Tony Weaver, Forbes 30 Under 30 Honoree and founder of Weird Enough Productions, thinks that the issues pertaining to children and young adults goes far beyond the recent phenomenon of fake news. Their entire relationship with media is problematic. “According to a 2017 study by Stanford, even though today’s youth are digital natives, they are digitally naive,” says Weaver.

“Media and technology grew at a rate beyond what anybody was expecting. The education system did not adjust in time to account for it,” he adds.

So, students now tend to have trouble identifying fake news and can’t identify reliable sources. And in some cases, students can’t distinguish between a normal piece of media content and an advertisement.

Weaver adds that a class on how to combat fake news and identify false information would only be helpful if it gives students a framework for how to think. However, forcing people to only listen to certain sources is a terrible idea.

And it’s about enforcing critical thinking skills

Kimberly Bonheim Birbrower, a former English and Social Studies teacher and founding partner of Big Picture Educational Consulting, says while teaching, she saw that students had difficulties differentiating between reliable and fabricated sources.

“We spent a good chunk of time in middle school and freshman English as a precursor to research paper writing discussing how to use critical analysis to evaluate whether an online source was verified or not,” says Birbrower.

“A course that teaches this sort of critical thinking would be an incredible asset to students,” she adds. “Independent inquiry and critical analysis are the foundation blocks of a good, global education.”

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Technology has brought porn from the pages of magazines to the internet and virtual reality headsets.

And although most porn consumers would most likely say that the expansion of porn is positive, some new services are further blurring the line between sex, porn, and consent.

Porn and consent

A recent Motherboard piece reports that deepfakes, a Reddit user, face-swapped Gal Gadot’s face—the actress who recently played Wonder Woman—on a porn star’s body. “Sometimes the face doesn’t track correctly and there’s an uncanny valley effect at play,” reports Motherboard, “but at a glance it seems believable.”

Deepfakes was able to create the swap by using “open-source machine learning tools,” such as TensorFlow.

Unfortunately, Gadot isn’t the only person who has been victimized by the rogue Reddit user. The person has also face-swapped faces of Scarlett Johansson, Maisie Williams, Taylor Swift, and Aubrey Plaza.

This gross misuse of technology further proves that people still don’t recognize or respect sexual consent. Although face-swapping a person’s face on a porn performer’s body is nothing like rape, it’s still a breach of consent.

Face-swap and revenge porn

Since this type of technology is already being used to create fake celebrity porn, it’s only a matter of time before it’s used to create fake revenge porn.

Revenge porn, when a person publishes or distributes the nude photos or sex tapes of a former partner, is already a major problem. So, just imagine how complicated revenge porn will get once face-swapping becomes a factor.

“Working with VR, I also imagine [revenge porn, etc.] in virtual reality,” says Antony Vitillo, AR/VR consultant and owner of the AR (augmented reality)/VR (virtual reality) blog The Ghost Howls. “There are already VR porn videos that give you the impression of having sex with one or more actress, actor. Imagine using this new AI-hack in these kinds of videos.”

How to handle consent

Yes, there will always be people who will view this type of porn and publish it. But the only way to combat this development is to educate. By educating people about why it’s not OK to view this type of porn, and why it *hopefully* will soon be illegal everywhere to create it, we can stop it.

Vitillo adds that keeping people updated about new technologies can help Internet users know there is a new “revenge” risk. “Furthermore we should inform people on how to tell a fake video and a real one,” he adds.

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2017 was full of moments that caught the people of the world’s attention. Multiple political and social campaigns gained followers and momentum. So, in 2018, we’d like to see the following causes and movements that started in 2017 become more successful.

1. The continuation of #MeToo and justice for women

Tarana Burke created the #MeToo movement over a decade ago. The movement was originally intended to support “underprivileged women of color affected by sexual abuse,” reports Blavity. “It has since become a rallying cry for survivors of sexual abuse, assault and harassment.”

Burke’s movement was so monumental, Time Magazine named #MeToo participants its Person of the Year. Burke also will “drop” the New Year’s Eve Ball in Times Square.

“I think it’s fitting to honor the Me Too movement as we close a historic year and set our intentions for 2018,” says Burke. “With the new year comes new momentum to fuel this work and we won’t stop anytime soon.”

Provide women opportunities

Anita Malik, democratic candidate running for Congress in Arizona’s 6th District, adds that this movement can only help women’s lives if further action is taken.

Women need positions in boardrooms so they can maintain rules and policies to protect women, says Malik.

“We need more affordable childcare so women can seize opportunities and rise in the workplace to earn those boardroom positions, and equal pay as a right and structures for reporting harassment and misconduct… We must break the cycle of both the outright and subtle actions of inequality.”

Help domestic violence victims

In addition to expanding the #MeToo movement, and the other issues discussed by Malik, Mickie Zada, mentor and podcast host, wants domestic violence awareness to gain more attention, too.

Most domestic abuse victims and survivors risk their survival by coming out, says Zada. “Most have no money, no where to go, no credibility and no self-confidence,” she adds. “Women are 70 times more likely to be murdered by their abuser within the first few weeks of leaving.”

However, Zada says that awareness—awareness about what domestic abuse is, and what it takes to truly change society’s views concerning domestic abuse survivors—can help make the world safer for women.

2. 2018 is an election year

We’re not asking you to try and get your friends and family to vote for the candidate you like—we just want the people you know to become educated voters

One way to inspire people to vote is by sharing well reported news. Michael Montgomery, owner of Montgomery Consulting, suggests turning friends and family on to outlets, such as the New York Times, Washington Post, CBS, NBC, ABC, and NPR.

“Their kind of reporting will not just inform your friends and family but will alarm and perhaps outrage them with the plethora of growing threats to the environment, peace and security, the health and well-being of Americans, and democracy itself that have developed over the last 12 months,” he adds.

Another thing to remember this election year is that black women are a force to listen to and elect. After all, black women were the people who helped defeat Roy Moore in the recent Alabama election.

“It’s a fact that women of color led the way in Alabama, but as a woman of color, I hope we can solidify this new found political respect we suddenly have,” adds Malik.

“Women of color can’t continue to be leveraged in times of political expediency and ignored the rest of the time. If the voices of black and brown women are so important to the Democratic Party, we need to make sure we’re heard in every conversation. Not just when we’re the only hope. I hope when the parade is over, women of color aren’t left in the dust as usual. It’s our responsibility to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

3. Don’t let burnout win

This past year has been tough on anyone who paid attention to… well, anything. So, to avoid burnout in 2018, Alison M. Foley-Rothrock, owner of Foley Immigration Law suggests the following, three tips to stay focused.

Be part of a larger organization

Go broad—choose a small handful of topics that you are especially passionate about to focus on. Focus on your top priorities and trust others to tackle the rest of the deluge. Then show up and support your causes when they have rallies or take other actions to help the causes you love.

“For me, it has been critical to keep focused on my work helping immigrants and their families one meeting, one hearing, one set of paperwork at a time,” says Foley-Rothrock. “That doesn’t mean that I’m not active in a dozen other ways, but what is keeping me sane is the normalcy and routine of my work days and knowing that, at least for the families that I serve, I am making a difference.”

Self-care is critical

Take time out when you need it. Turn off social media notifications. Don’t get in un-winable arguments with strangers; say your piece and walk away. Exercise and meditation and the occasional “mental health day” away from everything work wonders.

Remember that “this too shall pass”

We have to keep up hope and understand that the march of progress has never been a steady forward pace. “It’s more of a cha-cha: two steps forward, one step back, sometimes one forward and two back,” says Foley-Rothrock.

“Each time that we have made major progress toward making ‘Liberty and Justice for All’ a reality, there has been a backlash from those who just want things to stay as they were (or go back to what they believe was a better time). That is what we are seeing now. This is not the end of progress, but the birth of something bigger and better.”

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A lot of people had a pretty sucky 2017. Although many of these  changes happened at an international and national level, their effects got real personal. Thankfully, the winter Solstice, the first day of winter, or Yule, is also the perfect time to look inward, reflect on it all, and then of course, let it go.

The meaning of the Winter Solstice

Winter is the ideal time for reflection because it’s the time the world becomes still. Plant life ceases, animals hibernate, and the snow and cold often force people to stay indoors. In addition to reminding humans to stay still and reflect, the solstice also marks the shortest day of the year. This lack of light can cause a lot of distress for many people. However, on this day—the shortest day of the year—the solstice should remind us that longer days, and more light, are just around the corner.

“When we look to the symbolism of this season, it is a time of new beginnings and the formulation of new intentions,” writes Bri, founder of the Hoodwitch, a website dedicated to reporting on everyday magic for the modern mystic.

“For as dark as it is, it is a time of rebirth. It represents the time of the first planted seed, that with the gift of the returning sun, will begin to grow. Its also no coincidence that New Year’s holiday, so close to the Winter Solstice, marks the time of the new year and a time of setting intentions.”

Reflect and welcome the light

2017 was rough for most everyone I know. After all, constant news of depressing political decisions, nuclear war scares, multiple sexual assault allegations, and overt racism and homophobia, will get any well-meaning human being down.

But even though all the negative news wore on me and my friends and family, we’ve all made it. In fact, we’re more educated about political and social issues than ever before. In a way, this year has “gifted” us insight.

So, if you’ve also had a rough year, I welcome you to sit down on December 21 and reflect on the positive things you learned from 2017’s trials.

And if you’d like to travel deeper into personal reflection, you also can try the Hoodwitch’s simple and short winter solstice ritual.

The ritual

The Hoodwitch recommends sitting in a dark room and meditating on the evening of the winter solstice. During your meditation, ask yourself how the darkness feels and what these feelings mean to you.

Then, light a single candle and meditate on the light—this is a yogic meditation practice called trataka, reports the Hoodwitch. “Let your gaze be soft, your lids heavy, and focus your eyes on the light of the candle. Again, notice what your experience is and how you feel.”

After you’ve completed this ritual, consider journaling your intentions for the coming year. “You might even set intentions for the following time frames: 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 12 months,” adds the Hoodwitch. “These times marks the equinoxes and the solstices of the coming year and on these special days give you the opportunity to check back in with your intentions and explore how your journey has unfolded thus far.”

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Instagram and Pinterest are full of minimalist lifestyle accounts. Although that fact isn’t surprising—living sustainably is important—minimalism is not new. In fact, other cultures have practiced this way of life for years.

Real minimalism is diverse

A recent piece in the Pacific Standard presents the fact that most Insta-famous modern minimalists are white or East Asian. However, this is quite a strange reality, considering that “various communities of color fashion a lifestyle off of living with few possessions,” reports the Standard.

In addition to its cultural limitations, pop minimalism often makes this traditionally poverty-based lifestyle look glamorous. So, the Standard points out that, essentially, the main thing that differs between the modern minimalist movement and historical minimalism is choice.

“Though people of color have been practicing core principles of minimalism for generations, their lifestyle often resulted from poverty, classism, and racism,” reports the Standard.

“In the U.S., redlining helped create communities colloquially called ‘ghettos’. With nowhere else to live, communities of color, and particularly black people, had no choice but to reside in communities that were significantly underdeveloped compared to the housing communities that white families lived in.”

Diverse modern minimalists to follow

The following people practice the minimalist lifestyle for various reasons. Some of them grew up minimalist homes. And others chose to live in a minimalist manner to help better their lives.

Milana Perepyolkina

Milana Perepyolkina, author, explains that her experience with minimalism stems from her culture; she’s Romani. “I moved to the U.S. from Russia to study in college with two bags. My pillow was in the first bag. [And] a cup with a spoon, a dictionary, and some clothes in the second,” says Perepyolkina.

“Romani have traveled in a small wagon for centuries. All family possessions were in this small wagon. Every possession mattered and had a history.”

Lillian Daniels

Lillian Daniels, founder of The Bali Bead Necklace, says her brand of minimalism focuses on having a high concentration of a few things that fuel her joy and vitality. “This may be different from person to person,” says Daniels, “[but] to me, [it] is managing key resources.” She adds that she truly values and is influenced by her family, friends, good health, and being a woman.

So, Daniels creation, The Bali Bead Necklace, is a physical manifestation of minimalism. “It can be worn with anything and allows you [the wearer] to truly be the multifaceted person you are.”

Roe Cummings and E Johnson

Roe Cummings, a creative intentional-living advocate, and E Johnson live in a small home—it’s 800-square-feet—in the Bay Area.

Cummings began living small after recognizing that her low-self esteem and confused self-identity were fueling her buying binge cycles. E Johnson says he’s always lived a minimalist lifestyle; he grew up poor. So, “his background has added to the richness of how he and Cummings interact with the [minimalism] movement and interpret it for their own lives,” reports the Standard.

Nneka Okona

Nneka Okona, a food and travel writer, chose to embrace minimalism after a move from America to Madrid in 2013. So, for the move, Okona could only fit her possessions in a few suitcases.

After reducing her things, she felt much better. “I see minimalism as a journey into releasing past baggage and attachments in order to feel freer and lighter,” adds Okona.

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Ainslee Divine, online cam model, got into camming, a version of online flirting, stripping, and performance, more than a year ago.

A second career online

Soon after Divine started an Instagram account under a fake performance name, she quickly gained more than 9,000 followers. Her look and age—Divine is now 43 years old—allowed Divine to make a splash amongst fans who are into “MILFs”; basically, attractive middle-aged women who aren’t shy about sharing their bodily assets.

Although Divine’s success has skyrocketed in the past year—she now has more than 100,000 followers across her social media accounts and is leading the Best MILF category for the Adult Webcam Awards—her husband’s career has come to a halt.

Legal advice

Before Divine became a popular cam model, she ran her career change by her husband, Jeff Davis, who at the time worked for the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office in Clackamas, Oregon, for over 23 years.

To make certain Divine’s new career wouldn’t affect her husband’s status at work, she and Davis hired Dan Thenell, an attorney, before creating her business. “[We wanted to] make sure we weren’t breaking any policies or laws, and were very careful to keep my new business separate from any of my husband’s activities,” adds Divine.

Unfortunately, Divine and Davis’ efforts were ineffective.

An end of a career

In October 2016, Davis was officially taken off duty and put on administrative leave, reports The Oregonian.

“Initially, when they put him on leave, he had no idea what that would mean,” says Divine. “I felt like that this happened to him because of a decision I made; Ultimately, it’s my body and [was] my decision to make this step. It made me feel absolutely awful.”

In April 2017, Davis was medically laid off from his position, adds The Oregonian. Divine says this move has effectively ruined Davis’ “illustrious career”.

“His doctors determined the actions of his employer made him sick and unable to work,” adds Divine.

Since then, the couple’s lawyer has reviewed large portions of the investigation and says he’s “unaware of any findings of wrongdoing or policy violations,” reports The Oregonian.

The Police Office’s stance

The investigation into Davis began after the Sheriff’s Office “received information” about Divine’s involvement in pornography. The investigation “centered on whether he was involved in the business,” says Thenell.

“[The] Sheriff’s Office policy prohibits off-duty employment that poses a threat to the agency’s ethics and code of conduct, which includes behavior that ‘provides entertainment or services of a sexual nature,’” adds The Oregonian.

In August 2017, The Oregonian asked Sheriff Craig Roberts of the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office about the Office’s investigation that lead to Davis’ leave and eventual medical layoff. The publication reports that the Office “declined to comment on the internal investigation of Davis or release its findings, citing the possibility of a lawsuit and an exemption that allows public agencies to withhold records when personnel investigations don’t result in discipline.”

Lyndie Hamlin, an assistant to Roberts, responded to the questions from The Oregonian with the following written statement: “We have every confidence that Mr. [Davis’] separation of employment with the county was supported both by the sheriff’s and county policies, and applicable laws.”

Online monitoring

Divine says the Sheriff’s Office started monitoring her online shows after Davis was placed on administrative leave.

Divine used to have a website, which launched in late December 2016. She also had access to all of her members and their information. “I found the name of someone—the person in charge of Internal Affairs and the investigation into my husband—that worked in my husband’s office; I was beside myself,” says Divine.

“They used public funds to join my website and view all of my videos and picture sets, tip me on MyFreeCams, and view my private shows on MyFreeCams,” she says. “Additionally, some of their chats with me were sexual in nature, like they were trying to fit in and earn my trust. It’s so outrageous!”

Divine says she quickly alerted her and her husband’s lawyer about what the office was doing. Thenell’s initial recommendation was to let it be and see what happened.

“So, for the next several weeks, I’m trying to act like nothing is going on in my chat room. But I know that this person is there to watch me. I’m not their employee—they don’t have any authority to tell me what to do,” says Divine.

“It’s very clear that on that particular cam site, you cannot have men in your room. So, it’s obvious that my husband is not going to be in there with me. He is not in any of my videos, I take my own pictures. He’s not involved.”

Feeling violated

Finally, the couple’s attorney contacted the County Attorney and told them [the Office] to cease the above listed activities. The actions immediately stopped, says Divine. “They canceled their membership to my website and quit watching me on cam as far as I knew. They were caught and they knew it.”

Divine adds that after the entire ordeal, she felt violated. “I’m not the person that they are investigating. I have a legal business, and I’m not doing anything illegal,” says Divine. “I’m a legal business owner.”

The future

Divine says that right now, she and Davis aren’t sure what their next move will be, but the potential for a lawsuit is high.

In the meantime, Divine says she hopes that she and her husband can start to enjoy some of her success. “This should be an exciting time for us,” adds Divine.

“I should be enjoying it, and he should be enjoying it for me. So, it’s hard to balance that because we have to deal with this huge burden.”

EcoSalon reached out to the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office for comment, but we did not hear back before publication time.  

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A recent Byrdie article reported on a very real but somehow under-reported problem many working women face. In the piece, writer Nichole Fratangelo discusses how her large breasts give her unwanted attention in various workplace settings.

Fratangelo was already well aware that dressing professional was a “must”. However, she soon learned that her breasts and how she presented them on a day-to-day basis influenced how she felt at the office, too.

For example, on days she’d wear a tighter dress or a v-neck shirt, she’d be more aware of her chest. She sometimes felt “exposed” even though she knew she wasn’t. After all, she was wearing the same thing as other female employees.

Fratangelo admits that she even felt “exposed” when she worked in a uniform, long before her office work days. “I worked as a barista for over five years, where I simply wore a uniform of black pants and a black polo shirt, and still felt ‘unprofessional’, as if I was showing too much to those buying their morning coffee,” she says.

“The judgment never came verbally (thankfully), but in the form of stares—from co-workers who perhaps thought I was using my chest to my advantage in some way, or from customers who maybe thought I chose to wear that tight-fitting shirt for the wrong reasons.”

Cover up

“Hells yes people treat me differently because of them [her large chest],” says Katie Kozlowski, creator of Women Are Rising.

Kozlowski says that on many occasions, she’s been told to “cover up” when wearing a blouse buttoned to her chin. And once, while working at Talbots, her manager told her to work in the store’s shoe closet “so no one could see me and my ‘inappropriate top’, which was a baggy silk tank with zero cleavage and a knee length skirt.”

Janine Low, owner of Mad Hatter Marketing & Event Planning LLC, says that although most of her experiences in professional settings have been less verbal and more through looks and body language, the judgement is bothersome. “Even when I am wearing a shirt or dress that has full coverage, I still feel judgement from my co-workers, clients, and peers,” says Low.

“I have also had several experiences with verbal sexual harassment and lots of unwanted attention from men during professional events outside of the office (expos, conferences, networking events, out of office client meetings, etc.),” she adds.

“Every time I have found myself in this type of situation, it makes me feel like less of a person and more of an object and my confidence slowly dwindles away.”

Beat the stigma and look good doing it

Low has had a lot of luck finding professional clothing that looks and feels good at Target, specifically from brands Mossimo, Xhilaration, and Merona. “They often offer some full-coverage tops that look professional and cute and aren’t as tight,” she says.

She’s also had fashion success with pieces from StitchFix, H&M, and Ann Taylor. Low also is able to find bras she likes in her size—36G—at AdoreMe.com and Herroom.com.

Kozlowski says she’d like to remind women that they should be proud of who they are and own their curves. “Don’t put them on display necessarily… because you have way more going on than just a big rack,” she says, “but don’t hide yourself because people don’t like how God made you.”

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Zara recently made news when some of the company’s factory workers who were working for the now-defunct manufacturing company Bravo, in Istanbul, placed cries for help via garment tag in clothing.

The tags read, “I made this item you are going to buy, but I didn’t get paid for it,” reports Teen Vogue.

The workers were owed three months pay and severance.

Although Zara’s parent company, Inditex, has since issued a formal statement saying it’s setting up a “hardship fund” to cover the workers’ losses, this news inspired us to reach out to diverse and conscious brands.

The following list contains brands that “do good” and the products the companies sell.

1. Maple Holistics’ Argan Oil Shampoo

Maple Holistics is dedicated to providing consumers with all-natural and cruelty-free personal care products. “We feel an enormous sense of responsibility to do as good of a job as possible for the sake of not only running a successful business, but to help make the world a better place,” says Caleb Ellis, environmental expert for Maple Holistics.

Maple Holistics’ Argan shampoo formula provides benefits via six of the most effective oils for hair and scalp health: argan oil, peach kernel oil, almond oil, jojoba oil, camellia seed oil, and avocado oil. Also, for every bottle of Argan shampoo sold, the company donates $1 to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Priced at $9.99.

2. Gilden Tree’s Terra Cotta Pumice Stone

3. HoodLamb’s Nordic Parka

HoodLamb, a sustainable brand from Amsterdam, is a pioneer in hemp fashion. The company created Hempulose, a weather-resistant coating derived from the natural cellulose of the hemp stalk, and Satifur, an ultra-comfortable faux-fur lining made from recycled PET bottles.

The above parka features a natural hemp and organic cotton herringbone outer shell. The inner shell is insulated with Thermore® EcoDown®, a duck-less down that resists extreme cold, and is lined with a 7mm pile height natural hemp and recycled PET faux-fur. Also, its hood comes with removable faux-fur trim. Priced at $582.06.

4. Sahara Rose’s Body Polish

Sahara Rose, an independent New York beauty brand, sells handmade products filled with organic ingredients.

Most of the company’s products are made in America, but the company also offers authentic, precious oils, such as prickly pear seed oil and argan oil, that are ethically sourced from women cooperatives around the world. The company also sources other raw materials, such as organic rose water, from small scale agriculture. And a portion of the company’s profits goes to the education and school supplies for unprivileged girls in Morocco, says Ikram Elharti, founder of Sahara Rose.

The all-natural body polish is made of fine desert sand crystals, brown sugar, and precious oils. The polish is lightly scented with peppermint essential oil. It’s free of parabens, sulfates, mineral oil, propylene glycol, and phthalates. It’s also cruelty-free. Priced at $36.

5. Loyale Studio’s Tunic

Loyale is an ethical women’s fashion brand based in San Francisco, California. The clothing line is fair-trade, produced in Valdese, North Carolina. The business aims to create meaningful products, stay transparent about its production process, and contribute to society with mindful production. Loyale also donates $2 from each garment sold to local, national, and global groups that make positive impacts.

The above tunic features a boatneck and a graceful fit. In addition, the tunic is made from soft, high-quality cotton jersey fabrics that are milled in Japan with state-of-the-art knitting machines. Priced at $134.

6. Purple Impression’s Regal Scarf

Purple Impression was founded by Drakshan Khan​ and Afshan Khan, sisters and Muslim designers in the Bay Area. The duo work with women artisans in Pakistan. These artisans hand embroider the Khan sisters’ designs.

Drakshan says she and her sister started their company because they’ve seen how middlemen can exploit workers and artists. “Women seem to be the most exploited in any industry and to change this we started the Ethical Stitch Project,” she says. The Project employs women artisans in Pakistan with the mission to provide a direct platform for them to showcase their craft.

The Regal Scarf is hand-embroidered and made from lightweight cotton Khadi fabric. Also, this fabric will keep the wearer cool in the summer and warm in winter. Priced at $140.

7. Fresh Little Love’s subscription box

Fresh Little Love is a subscription box service that delivers organic, eco-friendly, ethically-manufactured baby clothes.

Nellie Abel, company founder, started her company in April after she had her son. Abel realized how prevalent “fast fashion” is in the children’s clothing industry.

Every three months, the company sends its members a seasonally curated capsule wardrobe of six to eight items, all of which are from small brands that meet the company’s eco and social standards. The pictured collection is for “little gals”. Priced at $159.

8. Loccessories

K. Hill started Loccessories to give beautiful brown girls a voice. “So much mainstream media focuses on one narrow standard of beauty… We must champion the idea that beauty comes in all forms, including all hair types,” says Hill. All of Loccessories are handmade especially for women and girls with “curls, coils, kinks, and locs.”

The above accessory is the Rings of Saturn Loc Lasso Hair Tie. This tie is perfect if you prefer to have your locs in a ponytail, bun, or some other type of updo. However, this hair tie also works as a headband and ponytail holder. Priced at $24.

9. MEVEI’s Silken Romantic Sensuality

MEVEI, an online boutique luxury beauty brand, sells all-natural beauty products filled with botanical ingredients sourced from sustainable farms. “We take pride in going the extra mile when it comes to finding the very best ingredients,” says Rupinder Mangat, founder and CEO at MEVEI, Inc.

The above blend, Silken Romantic Sensuality, is perfect for enhancing romance during the holidays. Also, Silken beautifies a person’s skin by adding a flirty glow. Priced at $34.99.

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The post 9 Diverse, Conscious Companies to Shop this Holiday Season: #NowWhat appeared first on EcoSalon.